All of the most renowned scholars, doctors, apothecaries, and warriors, were trained in martial arts to some extent and knew how to make use of Qi. Most schools teach the basics of Qi breathing, the dan tien, and the meridians.
Min didn’t know if he should be frustrated or relieved that Shin just seemed like an incredibly friendly person. He talked to everyone. Knowing how helpful the man obviously was to Hwan, irked him. He knew he was far more attractive than Shin was, but he was aware that people often found his personality enough of a deterrent to negate his looks. There were also the complications of his rank, but there were also plenty of ways around that.
Min gripped his knee as Shin disappeared into the kitchen again. Shin seemed to spend longer in the kitchen than the other servers, but Min knew that that was probably due to the fact that Min wasn’t paying as much attention to the girl’s movements as he was to Shin’s. He shook himself and focused on the food and tea that had been brought out for them. It was even better than he’d remembered from last time. He hadn’t expected a place just outside of the red-light district to serve tea of this quality. It seemed Hwan didn’t skimp on anything and instead made sure there were options available for everyone, no matter their background.
Min looked up at movement by the kitchen entrance. Hwan emerged and it seemed he was beginning his rounds of talking to patrons. Min couldn’t help but watch as the man walked to a table, chatted for a few moments, and then disappeared inside the kitchen again. Min hadn’t noticed last time, but Hwan walked in a way that reminded him of a panther or tiger. Every movement was purposeful, there was no excess of motion or waste of energy. Min realized that Hwan scanned the restaurant, keeping an eye on the environment. He’d have thought he was just checking to make sure there were no problems, but it was too much like when a predator watches for possible prey. Not outright like an animal on a hunt, but like one passively watching for possibilities.
Min had decided to unabashedly watch Hwan, and so it was very noticeable that Hwan avoided looking at their table. He knew Hwan had clocked which table they were at, but he seemed to put effort into not looking right at it. Min clenched his hands into fists as Shin draped an arm around Hwan’s shoulders. It wasn’t an easy thing to do. Shin wasn’t any taller than Min, in fact Min was pretty sure he was slightly taller than the other man, so Shin had to reach up in order to put his arm on Hwan’s shoulders.
Shin met Min’s eyes at that moment and Min quickly forced himself to relax. Shin winked before removing his arm from around Hwan and wandering over to another table. Min froze, he was certain that no one would have been able to read his irritation on his face, but it almost seemed like Shin had. Even his friends who were sitting right next to him hadn’t noticed.
Hwan left the kitchen again and this time came towards their table. Movement caught Min’s attention and he saw Shin change directions. The two made it to their table at the same time.
“Glad to see you all again.” Hwan said. “Was beginning to worry you’d been scared off.”
“Over that little squabble?” HaJoon replied. “Hardly.”
“So this is the group you mentioned.” Shin said. It was clear he was talking to Hwan.
“Yes,” Hwan replied. He smiled and it both brightened and softened his face. He looked younger when smiling. “Shin, this is DoYun, HaJoon, YeJun, and…” Hwan stopped and looked at Min. “I don’t believe any of you actually introduced your friend here last time.”
“Lee, Min.” Min smiled, “you can call me Min.”
“Min.” Hwan repeated, returning the smile. “I’m sure Shin here has already introduced himself.”
“I’d make a pretty poor server if I hadn’t.” Shin protested.
Hwan shrugged as if to say that he wouldn’t be surprised. Shin whacked him on the shoulder with the back of his hand. Min blinked at the amount of force the man put into it, but Hwan didn’t so much as flinch.
“Hwan told me a bit about you all,” Shin said. Hwan turned to his friend and made a motion towards him but Shin danced out of reach. “He said you guys sometimes stay after closing for a few drinks and a game?”
Min’s friends nodded, smiling. Hwan sighed and Min watched him confused.
“You’re not going to let this go are you?” Hwan asked, clearly talking to Shin again.
“Nope.” Shin grinned. Hwan sighed again as if in resignation.
“Before he comes up with a more dastardly plan,” Hwan said glaring at Shin. “How about you guys stay tonight?”
The three others seated at the table looked to Min for his answer. He knew that none of his friends would stay if he decided against it, they couldn’t exactly leave their prince to make his own way home. Hwan’s gray eyes met his, one eyebrow raised.
“Gladly.” Min said, holding Hwan’s gaze. Hwan smiled again.
“Now that that’s settled,” Hwan said, sighing as he straightened back up. “I need to get back to the kitchen.”
Hwan looked at Shin and Min followed his gaze. Shin was smirking at Hwan. Interesting.
“Behave.” Hwan ordered halfheartedly. He looked back at Min. “I will see you again when it’s time to close.”
For a split second Min couldn’t tell if Hwan had been talking to just him, or the group. Min watched him walk away. How much longer until closing? Min hoped that it wouldn’t be too much longer, but was content to wait either way.
Min smirked as he took another of Shin’s pieces off the board, his pieces dominating the board. Shin groaned. A deep rumbling laugh surprised Min.
“I told you you’d lose.” Hwan laughed.
“I was certain my experience would give me an edge on him.” Shin complained.
“Age doesn’t make up for lack of skill.” Min replied.
“Ouch!” Shin mock gasped, clutching his heart. “I’m not that much older than you, you know.”
“Then how would you have garnered enough years to give you an edge?” Min teased.
“Point taken.” Shin sighed. “Now stop treating me like an old codger.”
“I might,” Min said smirking, “if you stop acting like one.”
“Vicious!” Shin said. “You don’t treat Hwan like an old man.”
“Why would I?” Min asked.
“Cause he, unlike me, looks like one.” Shin said, grinning. He ducked out of the way before Hwan could smack him.
“I’m not much older than you are.” Hwan replied calmly. He had moved and pulled out the chair on Min’s left, sitting in it carefully. With how tall he was it made sense, he had to be careful or he’d risk hitting his knees on the table.
“Yeah, but with that beard you look at least five years older, if not more.” Shin told him. “Looks like the other three are done with their game, and I refuse to play against this snake again.”
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“Afraid you’d lose again?” Hwan asked. As Shin began to clean up the game.
“I know I’d lose again.” Shin answered. “Only person here who is likely to beat him is you.”
Min turned to Hwan, surprised.
“No.” Shin said before Min could ask Hwan for a round. “That game would last all night.”
Hwan laughed again. “With what I just saw of Min’s skills, that’s very likely.”
Shin made a face at him. Over the course of the game it had become very clear to Min that these two had known each other for a very long time. It had also been made clear that they were entirely platonic.
“You three,” Shin turned his attention to where DoYun and the others sat. “Once you finish that round move over here. I’m going to grab some more drinks. There were a few bottles I was saving to share in celebration if Hwan had actually managed to make new friends.”
Min’s friends cheered and laughed. They moved over, Min didn’t really pay attention to who sat where. One of the twins must have grabbed the chair on Hwan’s other side, because DoYun was now seated across from him. Shin returned with six bottles. HaJoon and YeJun cheered again when they were each handed one. Min watched the others drink directly from the bottle.
“Need a glass?” Hwan asked. His tone was serious enough that Min knew he wasn’t mocking him. Min turned his attention to the man and smiled.
“I don’t, but I appreciate the offer.” Min told him. He popped the cork and let it hang by the string before putting his lips to the bottle and tipping it up to drink. It tasted so good he almost missed the look Hwan gave him. Min lowered the bottle holding Hwan’s gaze. “You almost look jealous.”
“Hmmm.” Hwan said. He set his own bottle down close enough that his fingers brushed Min’s. “I almost am.”
Min felt the corner of his lips tug upwards. He raised his bottle again and parted his lips to reply and then froze. The air outside was too still. Min felt more than heard the movement. He dropped what he was holding and shoved his chair back. He expected to fall to the floor and therefore be able to dodge the assassin’s blade and roll back to his feet. Instead his chair stopped about half way. A strong, slightly tanned, scarred hand held the arm of the assassin. Min turned his head to stare at Hwan. The man had not only caught the assassin, but held Min’s chair up with the other arm. He met Min’s eyes briefly before turning his attention back to the assassin in front of him.
Min was slid backwards out of the way. He shook off his shock and got to his feet. He pulled out two of his concealed daggers and scanned the room. There was never just one assassin. There was a snap accompanied by a scream, Min watched his eyes widening in surprise as Hwan tossed the assassin across the room with ease.
“Shin.” Hwan ordered.
Min could no longer spare attention to watch the man who was proving to be far more adept than Min had ever expected him to be. More assassins had entered the restaurant. Min didn’t wait for them to make the first move. He launched himself at one of the assassins knowing full well that YeJun, who was closest to him, would cover him.
***
Tae held the sword of that first assassin and swung it at the exposed neck of the next one nearest him. He had imbued the sword with Qi and the assassin was not prepared for that. He sliced through both the sword that the assassin had moved to block his own, as well as the neck of the assassin. The blood sprayed out and hit Tae in the face. He tasted the iron on his lips and felt power surge inside of him. He stumbled and another masked assassin came at him thinking that was his chance.
Tae blocked the sword with a flick of his wrist. He turned and smiled at the shocked man. He stepped forward pushing at the man until he was so close that both of their swords were useless. Tae grabbed the front of the assassin’s robe, the man swung at him with a dagger but Tae ignored it. With just a small amount of Qi he shattered both blades and sliced through the head of this assassin as well.
The feeling of hot blood on him was familiar, almost comforting in its own twisted way. Tae picked up the hilt of the broken sword. He pivoted and threw it, it lodged in the back of the head of an assassin that was trying to sneak up on Min. The delicate looking man turned expecting another opponent only to be faced with a corpse.
Tae growled as he watched another assassin try to corner Min. Tae had had enough of this crap. These men had barged into his restaurant, his home, and were attacking his guests, his friends. They were amateurs, he could tell from their movements that they thought they were a lot more skilled than they actually were. Not even the Blood Moon would have men like this, so this group must belong to the Deranged Hound, or another such scum filled bottom feeder group that dared to call themselves assassins.
Tae launched himself over tables to get to Min quicker. The damn pests were targeting him. He’d been relieved to see that Min could take care of himself. But it was also clear that he was going to tire out from dealing with this many. Tae sliced off an arm of another masked man who raised his sword against Min. Continuing his momentum Tae grabbed another assassin by the back of the neck and squeezed. There was a satisfying snap and Tae dropped the now dead man, letting him fall to the ground.
Tae lost count of the men he killed. His vision had become clouded with a golden and red streaked black haze. He growled as he fought against his instincts. The blood covering him excited him and watching the bodies of those who dared to face him falling limp to the ground was immensely satisfying. A hiss of pain from a familiar voice pulled his attention and Tae saw that Min had been hurt. Tae leapt, covering the distance far faster than should have been possible, grabbed the man who had dared to injure Min and crushed his neck before tossing the body. It would take some time for the man to die as he choked on his own blood.
Tae swung his sword out in an arc infusing the motion with Qi as rage over Min being hurt filled him. Another man of similar build clutching a wound in almost the same place flashed before his eyes and everything went a black tinged red-gold.
“Tae-Hwan!” a voice yelled. Tae recognized it and shook himself. Arms gripped his shoulders, and Tae blinked fighting to clear his vision. “Quick, take this.”
A small ball was shoved in his mouth. The familiar taste of the herbs helped ground him and Tae forced himself to bite it once before swallowing it, using the bitterness to shock himself back to his senses. Tae slumped into Shin and his friend, already holding onto him, caught him easily. He buried his head in his friend’s shoulder, knowing that Shin wouldn’t have stopped him unless they were safe now. Blast it, Min had looked just like Hyuk for a moment. He wasn’t Hyuk, but Tae had started to care for him even though they still didn't know each other all that well yet.
“How much showed?” Tae asked in a whisper.
“Just your eyes,” Shin answered. “But only because I knew what to look for, I don’t think anyone else could tell.”
Relief flooded through Tae. The monster inside him had tried to rear its head, and he’d let it. If it hadn’t been for Shin things would not have ended nearly so well. If Shin hadn’t been here Tae didn’t want to even think about what might have happened.
“Min!” One of the others yelled. Tae felt more than heard Min stumble. He pulled away from Shin and turned, it only took one step for him to be close enough, thankfully there was enough time for him to manage it. He caught Min as the man began to fall.
Tae met those enchanting amber eyes. There was a strange knowledge there, a bitterness that Tae rarely saw in someone who hadn’t been old enough to fight in the last war. Tae scanned Min and saw that the arm he’d hurt was bleeding. Poison. Tae had felt the poison on the blades that had nicked him as well, but it hadn’t concerned him at the time. It was a particularly nasty kind from the way it had stung as his blood burned it away.
“I’ve got an antidote that will work, but it’ll be painful.” Tae told the man in his arms.
“I’m not afraid of pain.” Min replied smiling slightly, there was a hardess to his eyes that told Tae more than words ever could that this delicate man was no stranger to all kinds of pain. Tae nodded. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small vile.
“Tae-Hwan you can’t be serious!” Shin yelled.
“If I don’t give him this he’ll die.” Tae replied. He uncorked the bottle with his mouth, spitting the cork to the side. “Their blades were laced with a poison blend including a very potent nightshade.”
He heard Shin begin a long string of swears. Tae ignored his friend and kept his attention on Min.
“This won’t taste like any antidote you’re familiar with.” Tae warned. Min nodded. Tae then put the bottle to Min’s lips. He saw Min’s eyes widen in surprise but the man swallowed the black-red liquid.
“Thanks for the warning.” Min choked out. Tae could tell that the liquid had burned Min’s throat.
“It’s particularly nasty so I’d be remiss if I didn’t.” Tae chuckled. “It’ll feel like your veins are on fire for a moment, but it won’t last. Once the sensation ends the poison is gone.”
Min hissed and Tae knew the burning sensation had started. “Damn it.” Min cursed.
Tae had grasped the hand of Min’s uninjured arm. Min squeezed it as he hissed through his teeth with the pain. He smiled slightly knowing that Min could squeeze as hard and tightly as he needed and it wouldn’t hurt him. If the man imbued Qi it’d probably hurt, but it still wouldn’t be anything Tae couldn’t handle.
“So, why does your friend call you Tae-Hwan?” Min asked as he gasped against the pain of the antidote. “I thought your name was just Hwan.”
“Can you swear it’ll never spread beyond those of us here?” Tae asked. Min blinked at him, surprised.
“Of course.” Min replied immediately.
“Hwan is, as you guessed, just a part of my name.” Tae told him. It was amusing how learning the secret behind his name was enough to distract Min from the pain Tae knew he was feeling. “My full name is Seok, Tae-Hwan.” Tae felt a sardonic smile spread across his lips as he saw the recognition flash through Min’s eyes.
Should I release Chapter 6 early? If 30 people vote yes I'll release Chapter 6 today instead of tomorrow.
